Machine for plaiting paper.



E.y D. SCHMITT. MACHINE FOR PLAITING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13.1914.

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E. D. SCHMITT.

MACHlNE FOR PLAlTlNG PAPER.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. I3, 1914.

Peteneed Feb.29,1916.

6 SHEETSSHEET 2.

QHI an E. D. SCHMITT.

MACHINE FOR PLAITING PAPIER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1a. 1914.

Patented Feb. 29,1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

E. n. SCHMITT. MACHINE FOR PLAITING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I3, 1914.

lPatented Feb. 29, 1916.

E. D. SCHMITT.

MACHINE FOR PLAITING PAPER.

APPLlcAmN FILED FEB .13. 1914.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. D. SCHMITT.

MACHINE Foa PLAITING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I3. I9'I4.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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'UNITED s'rAfrEs EDWARD D. SCHMITT, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

'MACHINE FOR PLAITING IYAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application led February 13, 1914. Serial No. $18,459. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD D. SCHMITT,

a citizen of the United States of America`,

' ing Paper, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to a press or equivalent machine for plaitingpaper or the like for various uses in the arts, and lparticularly foruse in the manufacture of boxes in accordance with United States PatentNo. 1,063,845 dated June 3rd, 1913.

The box and the plaited paper referred to as the product of the machineare new articles of manufacture and the machine itself which isconstructed for the sole purpose of producing this product, is thefirstmachine ever constructed with this end in view.

The applicant is aware of the existence 01 various sewing mechineshavingplaiting attachments, but such machines are intended for handling thinfabric while the present machine is. in the nature of a press to act oncomparatively stijf materials as heavy paper, corrugated paper, fiberboard, etc. used in the manufacture of boxes.

The function of the machine is to so plait the paper or Vother materialsof which the box isvto be made, that the plaits strengthen the box,preferably being so placed as to form the top and bottom edges of theupright walls whereby the box structure is stiifened to `a high degreeas explained in the patent referred to. The plaits 'when formed arepreferably secured lby means of rivets, staplesor similar fastenings orthey may be sewed or held in place by the formation of the box orotherwise.

The invention 4consists in a press having jaws whereby the-paper is heldand folded to form the plaits, and pressed to close them and render themwell defined and permanent, after which they are fastened .or held asdesired.

The operation consists in feeding the material to the press where it isheld between longitudinally extending jaws over the edges of which thematerial is foldedb)T another jaw member which retires when 'the fold isformed, the fold or plait being pressed to complete the operation.

Where the plaits are to be utilized as above described to form the topand bottom edges ofthe box walls, the machine is provided with parallel,longitudinally-extending jaws, the edges of which engage the material onlines spaced apart by a distance equal to the height of the box. Thematerial is folded inward over these jaw edges, the lines of the foldbeing separated by the height of the box. The paper is then foldedoutward again on lines which are spaced from the lines of the firstfolds by a distance equal to the width of the plait. The jaws andfoldingv members are then withdrawn from within the folds or plaits thusformed, and the plaits are pressed flat and fastened if desired.

The machine as show-n consists in means for holding the material onlines spaced apart by a distance equal tothe height of the box, meansfor forming a plait of the material and folding it over the holdingmeans, means for pressing the plaits flat, means for feeding thematerial and means for fastening the plaits.

In order that the invention may be fully understood I have illustrated apreferred f form of the machine in the accompanying drawings, of which-Figure 1 is a rear view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation` of lthe pressportion of the machine. Fig. 3 is a central, longitudinal section of themachine on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section onthe line 4, 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail of the presser member. Figs.6, 7 and 8 are detailed views of the clutch mechanism through which thepress is driven. Fig. 9 is a view of the feed dog and operatingmechanism. Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing the entire machine. Fig.11 is a detail view of the longitudinal ]aws.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, eachf of which is used toindicate the same -or equivalent parts in the different gures of thedrawing, the machineconsists of a feedingmechanism 1, a press andplaiting mechanism 2, delivery rolls 3 and plait fastening means 4.

The feed mechanism in the machine shown consists of a feed table 5slotted long ritudi-l nallv to receive a primary feed chain 6 having adog 7 to engage the rear edge of the material which, as will hereinafterbe described, is presented in sheets of considerable length. Each sheetYmay be'plaited at varied and the feed may be otherwise accomplishedwithin the scope ofthe invention, the operation being performed eitherby hand or by other mechanism. At the forward end of the table atransverse shaft 7 is journaled. This shaft carries a sprocket 8 for thechain 6 and a sprocket 9 for the secondary feed chain 10, the latter jand secured to the chain 10.

chain which drives the shaft 7 being in turn driven froma sprocket 11which is driven by suitable gearing from the main shaft 12. Thesecondary feed chain 10 carries a dog 13 which serves to engage the rearof each sheet of material when delivered by the primary feed and push itforward into operative relation with the plaiting mechanism.. The dog 13serves to move the material but a short distance from where it isvdisengaged by the dog 7 of the primary feed until it is in exactoperative relation with the plaiting mechanism.-

In order that the operation of the dog 13 may be thus limited in scope,"it is movably mounted relatively to the link with which it coperates,the link being bored to form a sliding bearing for a vertical pm 15 uponwhich the operative portion or head 16 of the dog is mounted. Be-v lowthe link the dog '1s provided with a shoulder or head 17, and a coilspring 18 between the head and the bottom of the link tends to withdrawthe dog from operative position. Coperating with the bottom head 17 is astationary cam 19 near the rear end of the table. This cam serves toforce the dog up into operative position and hold it there" for a shortportion of the traverse of the chain and then permit it to retire sothat the paper is disengaged At a point on the vchain spaced from thedog 13 by a distance equal to one half the length of the chain is afiXed dog 14 as distinguishedv from the, cam' actuated dog 13.` Thechain and plaiting members are so timed that the dog 14 serves'to engagethe material and move it forward into the bite of the rolls 3 after theplaiting operation.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4,'the plaiting mechanism consists oflongitudinal bars or lowerjaw members 20 extending the length of .therpress. These bars while referred to as stationary, have a slightvertical motion, and vto this end they are mounted in-sockets 22 inIbrackets 22 secured to ythe table, ysee Fig. 11. The jaws 20 areprovided atthe points where the brackets 22. occur, with ydependingcupsV 23 inclosing spiral springs 21. lEach spring is placed undertension by a pin 23 passing downu `top abutment for .the spring, thebearing of which against the bottom of the cup serves to hold the jawmember 20 down. Vertical motion is imparted to the jaws 20 by means ofcams- 24 on longitudinal shafts 25, one beneath eachvbar 20, the shafts25 being oscillated by means of connecting rod and crank 27, see Fig. 3,the latter receiving its oscillatory motion from a crank pin 28 of shortradius as compared to crank 27, -the pin 28 being carried by the shaft29 driven by a chain 30 from a sprocket 31 on the main shaft 12, 'see Fig. 2. The shafts 25 receive their motion immediately from intermeshingbevel gears 32 on these shafts and the transverse shaft 32 to which thecrank 27 is secured. As

we have previously pointed out, the motion of the shafts 25 is one ofoscillation, and in addition to carrying the cams 24 which lift thestationary jaw members 20, they serve to carry the folding members 33which are vin the form of plates mounted on arms 34 secured to theshafts 25. These plates 4are shown in cross-sectionin Fig. 4. Theyextend the full length of and are parallel by bevel gears 42, 43, thegears 42 beingv on the transverse shaft 29 previously described andtheintermeshing gears 43 on the longitudinal shafts 41 just referredto,- aall the levers, arms, cams, etc. carrying Aand actuating thefolding means are repeated at intervals as shown in Figs. 2

. and 3.

It will be apparent that the motion of the upper jaw members 35 vwill bedetermined by the cams 40 and arms 36 and in a general way 'would be atri ht angles to the radius drawn from these p ates or jaws to the centerof the-shafts 37; in other words, it will be a motion inclined slightlyupward from the horizontal toward and from the outer edges of thecorresponding jaw members 20.

In addition to the cams 40 the Shafts 41 carry eccentrics 45 with straps46 connected to, sliding upright members 47 mounted in guideways 48 onthe brackets 38. For detail of the sliding members and pressers 49,

see Fig. 5. The pressers 49, as we have previously stated, coperate withthe 4other plaiting :members andy serve to ress the plaits after theyhave been fl ed.` The ways-53 on the table 44 along which they may bemoved toward and from eac-h other and toward and from the center of themachine to vary the distance between the plaits, This is accomplished bymeans of transverse screws 54 engaging threaded apertures in thecarriages and mounted to rotate in suitable bearings in the machineframe.

Forward of the plaiting mechanism are the delivery rolls 3. These areconstantly driven with a uniform speed of operation by means of a belt51 on `a pulley 52 on the main shaft, the rolls beingv placed justbeyond and out of range of the front end of d Y the material when inplaiting position so that they are not engaged by the material until theplaiting operation is finished and the paper is moved forward intoengagement with the rolls.

Referring to' Figs. 1, 2 and 1() it will be apparent that the feedchains 6 and 10 are positively and constantly driven from the shaft 12,the drive beingfrom the shaft 12 to the shaft 55 by the sprocket 56secured .to

the shaft 12 carrying the chain 57 which engages the sprocket 58 on theshaft 55. The latter shaft is geared to the shaft 59 carrying thesprocket 11 by means of toothed gears 60, 61. Thefeed chain 10, aspreviously described, leads over the sprocket11 and drives the shaft 7which in turn drives the particular form shown, this drive is ac-V theprimary feed chain 6. The feed rolls 3 are also constantly driven fromthe shaft 12 by way of 'the belt 51, the pulley 52 which carries thebelt being secured to the shaft 12.

The plaiting mechanism, z'. e., the jaw and pressing members assembledin Fig. 4 which actually fold and press the material, are intermittentlydriven, and in the machine of integral with a hub 68 keyed to the shaft12.

This arm carries a latch 69 secured thereto by means of a pin 70parallel to the axis of the shaft, the pin being integral with thelatch, having an intermediate portion 71 which rides in a radial slot 72in the arm 67 and having a head 73 in the form of a cam follower whichrides in the path 74 in the stationary cam disk 75.

In the form of the invention shown, the

but of different radii.

shown, the portion of lesser radius is at theL sleeve 66 mounted torotate on the shaft 12 has a hub 76 notched to receive the latch 69, thenotches or teeth 77 being disposed in a direction opposite to that ofthe revo-A lution of the shaft ori having flat radial surfaces 7 8disposed in this direction, and the latch having a flat radial surface79 disposed in the direction of rotation of the shaft.

While the surfaces 78 and'79 are described as flat and radial, theessential feature is that the hub has notches disposed in a directionopposite to that ofthe revolution of the shaft, and the latch '7 9 has atooth disposed in the direction of the revolution of the shaft.

It will also be noted as to the cam path 74 that this path might in ageneral way be divided by a vertical axial plane into two sections, bothconcentric about the shaft 12 In the machine right and is connected atthe top to the portion of greater radius by anf incline which joins thecircular portion of .greater radius near the intersection with thevertical axial plane, and at the bottom the portion of greater radius isjoined near the vertical axial plane with the portion of lesser radiusby a similar but reverse incline. Starting with the latch in engagementwith the notch 77 at the bottom, the arm 67 rotates carrying the sleeve66 by means of the connection formed by the latch and notch until thefol-A lower 7 3 reaches the upward incline of the path 74 near the upperintersection of the cam surface with the vertical axial plane. When thecam follower rides upward, the latch becomes disengaged from the notchand rotation of the sleeve 66 ceases, the arm 67 rotating free of thesleeve until the downward incline is reached when the latch again comesinto engagement with the notch and the sleeve is rotated'. Thus thesleeve 66 rotates with the shaft 12 for half of each revolution of thatshaft and lies idle for the remainder of each revolution, the plaitingmechanism being correspondingly actuated and permitted to lie idle atintervals of half a revolution of the main shaft. Beyond the deliveryrolls 3 in the direction of the feed, is a table 80 which receives theplaited material, and beyond this table and having their centers spacedfrom the rolls 3 by a distance equal to the length of the sheets ofpaper to be handled, is a pair of intermittently rotating rolls 81, andbeyond these a similarly driven set of rolls 82.Y Between the rolls 81and 82 is a head 83 driven by a pulley andv belt 84 from any suitablesource. This head consists in mechanism adapted to fasten the plaits,and it may be of any preferred type as a stitching, stapling or rivetingmechanism, the device indicated herein being in the form of a staplinghead described in onel or'more existing United States patents. It hasbeen indicated in general outline, the-exact mechanism vbeing immaterialto this invention.

As has been stated, the rolls 8l operate intermittently andalternatively to the fas- `tening mechanism, so that the material movesforward step by step, being operated upon by the fastening device ateach step while stationary. The f eed rolls 81 and 82 in the form of themachine shown, are driven -from the main shaft'12-of the lpress by meansof'an' eccentric 85 and rod 86 which serve to rock a lever 87 pivoted at88 -on a bracket the lever 87 being connected at its upper end to asliding rod 89 carrying pins 90 and 91 which engage the -j aws 92 ofpawlcarryinglevers 93 pivoted at 94 and carrying pawls'95which engageratchets 96 which in' turnv drive the bottom rolls of the coper' atingsets 81,82.

In the operation of the machine, the paper or other material to beplaited,the plain or corrugated paper, fiber-board or the like, cuttothe desiredl length to which lthe machine is adjusted, is placed on thetable 5.

As'we have pointed out, the f eed'chains 6 and 10 are constantly drivenfrom' the shaft 12vof the press vor plaiting machine. The

Vprimary feed chain or chains 6 carry each a single dogv 7. This dogengages the rearof the material and pushes it forward across the tableuntil it 1s, in a position to be enf gaged frombehind by the retractingdog 13 of the chain`10. The position of/this dog during the feedingoperation'is controlled -by the cam19 as has been previously pointedout, being forced upward, a 'ainst the tension of the spring 18 whenltffirst'encounters the cam surface, and held in advancef position untilthe paper is moved into operative position in relation to the plaitingjaws, and in this connection 'it will also be under-f stood that theoperations of the jaws are so timed relatively to thechain 10 that theymake but one strokelto a single, complete y traverse of the chain, andthe operative strokeof the dog 13 terminates just prior I -to thebeginning of the plaiting operation.-

ist.

After the plaiting operation is complete lthedogs 14 come into.engagement -with the rear. edge of the material'and'advance along thebed of the machine, pushing the material forward into the )bite of thedelivery rolls3.

Referring nowto Figs. 1 and 4 in which the plaiting mechanism is shownin end elevation and transversecross-section, respectively, when thepaper is fed forward, the followers'39 are on,the low portions of thecams 40 so that the upper jaw members 35 areretracted inward andslightly upward in a direction at right angles to the radius drawn fromtheir operative edges tothe centers of the corresponding shafts 37. Thelower jawmembers 20 are also withdrawn the high parts of the cams 40move intoen-l gagement with the rollers 39 and the high parts of thecams 24 move into engagement with the jaws 20, this being substantiallythe position shown in Fig. 4, that is, the uppei` jaws 35 swing outwardand slightly downward and the lower jaws 20 move upwardr to a slightdegree. Thus 'the material is -gripped on two parallel longitudinal`Ilines which may extend the lengthof the'material and which arepreferablyl spaced apart by a distance equal to the width of the uprightwalls .of the box to be made, though the j aws may be otherwise arrangedand the plaits otherwise disposed within the scope of the invention.Incidentally from the arrangement of the jaws and the particular motionin Fig. 3, it will be understood isof a harmonic nature, so that thefolding members 33 have been moving upwardslowly ,during the loperationdescribed. They nowswmg upward'about -the jaw members 20 and 35 wellover and past the latter members, carr ing the ypaper with' them andfolding it about the outer edges of the jaws 35. The` fold. thus formedis a double or Z' fold, '.the outer .edges of the` material being heldfrom swinging freely upward by the presser members orpresser'feet 49,but the presserl feet 49 are themselves given a vertical harmonicmotionfrom the'eccentrics 45'. During the operation described, these presserfeet have been in the upper dwell, but now the folding members 33 andthe upper jaws 35 having accomplished their function which is that ofholding the material and entering and denin the creases of the Z fold,they are" with rawn, the followers 39 encountering the drop of the cams40 and the cranks 27 swinging back on the return stroke so the jaws 35are withdrawn. As soon as the members 33 and 35 start to retire, thepresser e feet 49 descend and when the members 33 and 35 are out oftheir path, they press the Z fold, or more particularly, the outer edgespaper is thus released, the dog 14 on thel chain 10 which travelscontinuously, comes in contact with the rear edge of the sheet andpushes it forward into the bite of the delivery rolls 3 by means ofwhich it is pressed forward on to the table 80 and presented to the biteof the intermittently rotating rolls 81. By means of these rolls it ispresented to the action of the stitching or stapling head 83 throughwhich it passes to the second set of intermittently rotating rolls 82 bywhich it is delivered in plaited condition ready to be folded to formthe box or other finished product.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a machine by which theoperation of plaiting paper either corrugated or plain, or other similarmaterial for use in the manufacture of boxes in accordance with myPatent No. 1,063,845, or otherwise, may be accomplished, and I desire tohave it understood that the type of box referred to is a `newone, thatthe plaited paper which is the product is likewise new, and this is thefirst machine which has ever been produced to accomplish this operation.Therefore the specific details while they are necessary to a fullcomprehension of the operation, are not in themselves essential in theparticular form in which they are disclosed, but on the other hand,these details may be widely varied and wholly different elements havingsimilar or equivalent functions may be substituted therefor within thescope of my in# vention.

What I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In a machine for manufacturing plaited box blanks of heavy paperboard .or the like the plaits serving as reinforcing means at the topand bottom edges of the box, means for holding the material, means forbending the paper to form two parallel .plaits having their outer edgesspaced apart by a ,distance equal to half the box and means for pressingthe plaits to make them permanent and form them into reinforcing membersat the top and bottom edges of the box.

2. In av machine for manufacturing .plaited box blanks of heavy paperboard or ing the plaits to make them permanent and form them intoreinforcing members at the top and bottom edges of the box.

'3. In a machine for manufacturing plaited box blanks of heavy paperboard or the like, the plaits serving as reinforcing means at the topand bottom edges of the box, means for holding the material along twoparallel lines, said means being spaced by a distance corresponding tothe height of the box, means for bending the paper to form two parallelplaits having their outer edges spaced apart by a distance equal to fthe height of the box, means for pressing the plaits and means forfastening them to make them permanent and form them into reinforcingmembers at the top and bottom edges of the box. i

Ll. In a machine for plaiting paper or the like, means for gripping thematerial, means for folding the paper about the gripping means, meansfor forming a second fold about said second mentioned meansv thusforming a Z fold and pressing the Z fold thus formed flat.

5.- In a machine for plaiting paper, means for gripping the paper on twoparallel lines, means for folding the paper-inward about both saidmeans, means for bending the paper about said folding means, andpressing both said folds.

6. In a machine for plaiting paper in the manufacture of ,paper boxes,two sets of parallel outwardly disposed jaw membersv for gripping thepaper on parallel lines, foldlng members swinging about said jawmembers, pressing means and means for actuating the said members andmoving the' folding members and one of each set of jaws out of the pathkof the pressing means, and

ying members swinging about said jaw members, pressing means and meansfor actuating the said members and moving the folding members and one ofeach set of jaws out of the path of the pressing means, and means forforcing vsaid pressing members downward on to the folded material topress the folds.

8. In a machine for plaiting paper in the manufacture of paper boxes,parallel jaw members, cooperating jaw members mounted to swing, andmeans for swinging them outward toward and inward from the edges of saidrst mentioned jaw members, folding-members parallel to said jaw members,

and means for swinging them about the outer edges of the 'aw members andpressing means adapted to move toward and from said irst mentioned jawmembers,

the swinging jaw members being timed y the manufacture of paper boxes,parallel jaw members, means for movlng said jaw members vertically,coperating jaw members mounted to swing and means for swinging themoutward toward and inward from the edges of said first mentioned jawmembers, folding members parallel to said jaw members, and means forswinging them about the outer edges of the jaw members and pressingmeans adapted to move toward and from said rst mentioned jaw members,the swinging jaw members being timed to swing inward and the foldingmembers being timed to swing outward and downward out of the path ofsaid pressing means as they move toward the first mentioned jaw members.

10. In a machine for plaiting paper inv the manufacture of paper boxes,parallel jaw members, means for moving said jaw` members vertically,coperating jaw members mounted to swing and means for swinging themoutward toward and inward from the edges of `said first mentioned jawmembers, folding members parallel to said jaw members, and 'means forswinging them about the youter edges of the jaw members and pressingmeans adapted to move toward and from said first mentioned jaw members,the swinging jaw `members being timed to swing inward and the foldingmembers being timed to swing outward and downward out of the path ofsaid pressing means as they move toward the first mentioned jaw members,means for feeding and delivering the paper, the vertically moving jawmembers being depressed to receive the paper and forced upward to holdthe paper in coperation with the swinging jaw members and depressedagain to deliver the finished sheet and receive the next sheet.

11. In a machine for plaiting paper in the manufacture of paper boxes,intermittently operating folding means, means for feeding 5 the `paperthereto including a continuously moving belt, a dogsecured thereto, a'second dog mounted thereon to move in a path at right angles to thelength of the belt and delivery mechanism therefor including con- 6tinuously operating rolls, means for fastening the plaits when formedand intermittently operating rolls for taking the paper from thedelivery rolls of the plaiting machine and feeding it to the fasteningmeans. 6 12. In a machine for plaiting paper in the manufacture of paperboxes, Jaw members for gripping the paper, a folding member swm-gmgabout said Jaw members, pressmg means and means for actuating said mem-7 one of the jaws out o f the path of the pressing means and means forforcing the pressing member downward on the folded material topress thefold. 7 18. In a machine for plaiting paper in the manufacture of paperboxes, a pair'of jaw members for gripping the paper, a fold-- yingmember swinging about the jaw members, pressing means and means foractuat- 8 ing said members and moving the folding member and one of thejaw members out of the path of the pressingnreans and means for forcingthe pressing member downward on the folded material to press the folds.

' 14. In a machine for plaiting paper in the manufacture of paper boxes,a jaw member. a coperating jaw member mounted to swing and means forswingingit outward toward and inward from the edge of said irstmentionedjaw member, a folding member parallel to said jaw members and means formeans as it moves toward the first mentioned 100 jaw-member.

' Signed by meat Baltimore, Md., this 12th day of February, 1914.

EDWARD D1 SCHMITT.

Witnesses:

4ZELLA KUHN, EDWIN F. SAMUELS.

bers and moving the folding member and l

